Setting the Rake in the Bunker Before Shot, Allowed?

[jandrewsgolf]

Is this a penalty?

[David in FL]

33 minutes ago, jandrewsgolf said:

Is this a penalty?

No.  Decision 13-4/0.5 applies...

 

Ball In Hazard

13-4/0.5

Meaning of “Test the Condition of the Hazard” in Rule 13-4a

Q. What is meant by “test the condition of the hazard” in Rule 13-4a?

A. The term covers all actions by which the player could gain more information about the hazard than could be gained from taking his stance for the stroke to be made, bearing in mind that a certain amount of digging in with the feet in the sand or soil is permitted when taking the stance for a stroke.

Examples of actions that would not constitute testing the condition of the hazard include the following:

• digging in with the feet for a stance, including for a practice swing, anywhere in the hazard or in a similar hazard;

• placing an object, such as clubs or a rake, in the hazard;

 

[rj]

not a penalty.   you can take your whole bag in and set it down on the sand if you want.   

[dkolo]

2 hours ago, David in FL said:

No.  Decision 13-4/0.5 applies...

 

Ball In Hazard

13-4/0.5

Meaning of “Test the Condition of the Hazard” in Rule 13-4a

Q. What is meant by “test the condition of the hazard” in Rule 13-4a?

A. The term covers all actions by which the player could gain more information about the hazard than could be gained from taking his stance for the stroke to be made, bearing in mind that a certain amount of digging in with the feet in the sand or soil is permitted when taking the stance for a stroke.

Examples of actions that would not constitute testing the condition of the hazard include the following:

• digging in with the feet for a stance, including for a practice swing, anywhere in the hazard or in a similar hazard;

• placing an object, such as clubs or a rake, in the hazard;

 

Exactly right. I've had strangers try to correct me and warn me about it (in casual rounds where we just happen to be grouped together, no less) a bunch of times. It's crazy how many golfers just keep repeating bad information over and over.

[Asheville]

It's not wrong to hand them the Rule book (from way down in the bottom of your bag beneath that long-forgotten peanut butter sandwich) and politely ask them to show you the Rule. :)

[Kalnoky]

10 minutes ago, Asheville said:

It's not wrong to hand them the Rule book (from way down in the bottom of your bag beneath that long-forgotten peanut butter sandwich) and politely ask them to show you the Rule. :)

Ha! That's great.

I actually knew this was legal. A guy I played with last year told me. He was slapping the sand around with his wedge and explained that you can test how firm the sand is. Now I do it too. It helps me disguise how afraid and incompetent I am around the sandtrap.  

[Missouri Swede]

15 minutes ago, Kalnoky said:

I actually knew this was legal. A guy I played with last year told me. He was slapping the sand around with his wedge and explained that you can test how firm the sand is. Now I do it too.

Ummm ... you're being sarcastic, right?

[bkuehn1952]

16 minutes ago, Kalnoky said:

Ha! That's great.

I actually knew this was legal. A guy I played with last year told me. He was slapping the sand around with his wedge and explained that you can test how firm the sand is. Now I do it too. It helps me disguise how afraid and incompetent I am around the sandtrap.  

You are just kidding, right?  Slapping the sand around with one's wedge to test the firmness of the sand is not something permitted under the Rules.

[Kalnoky]

3 minutes ago, bkuehn1952 said:

You are just kidding, right?  Slapping the sand around with one's wedge to test the firmness of the sand is not something permitted under the Rules.

 

5 minutes ago, Missouri Swede said:

Ummm ... you're being sarcastic, right?

No I was not! That's what the guy told me...

Oh well, he was much better than I was, absolutely no reason to cheat.. but whatever, he only lied to himself.  

[iacas]

26 minutes ago, Kalnoky said:

Oh well, he was much better than I was, absolutely no reason to cheat.. but whatever, he only lied to himself.  

He lied to you, too.

[Asheville]

1 hour ago, Kalnoky said:

Ha! That's great.

I actually knew this was legal. A guy I played with last year told me. He was slapping the sand around with his wedge and explained that you can test how firm the sand is. Now I do it too. It helps me disguise how afraid and incompetent I am around the sandtrap.  

You'll do well to read up on the topic. Start with Rule 13-4, then if you're still curious, read the relevant Decisions. Here it is:

http://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-decisions.html#!rule-13

[Rulesman]

And progress to this

http://www.usga.org/rules/rules-and-decisions.html#!decision-13,d13-4-3

 

[Kalnoky]

I appreciate the correction. Thanks fellas. 

[Fourputt]

On 1/16/2017 at 4:00 PM, Kalnoky said:

Ha! That's great.

I actually knew this was legal. A guy I played with last year told me. He was slapping the sand around with his wedge and explained that you can test how firm the sand is. Now I do it too. It helps me disguise how afraid and incompetent I am around the sandtrap.  

 

On 1/16/2017 at 4:18 PM, Missouri Swede said:

Ummm ... you're being sarcastic, right?

 

On 1/16/2017 at 4:25 PM, Kalnoky said:

 

No I was not! That's what the guy told me...

Oh well, he was much better than I was, absolutely no reason to cheat.. but whatever, he only lied to himself.  

This is exactly how misinformation gets passed on.  Just because a person is a good player, it doesn't mean that he knows anything about the rules - just look up all the silly things that Tour pros do.